Instant Mom
by wildrumpusstart
Summary: When Rainbow Dash takes in a baby Pegasus left on her doorstep, she learns what it means to be a mother to a child with special needs when it's reveiled that she is completely blind.
1. Chapter 1

It was a typical morning for Rainbow Dash...she got up, got herself some breakfast and went out for a morning flight. She stopped to say hi to her friends along her flight to give herself a breather, for she was flying as fast as she could go as if nothing could stop her. This was the life for her...worry free, loose and most of all, exciting!

But on this day, when she went home, she decided to rest for a bit before going back to Twilight's and having a picnic with the others at Fluttershy's cottage. She pulled out the latest Daring Do book and read for a few hours...then there was a knock at the door, she marked the page she was on, got up and went to answer it. But when she opened the door, no one was there...there was, however, a basket on her porch. There was no note or anything! Rainbow looked around, trying to see who had left the basket there...she went up higher to see if she could spot the Pegasus flying away...she saw nopony. She came back down and picked up the basket and carried it inside. When she set it down, it started making funny noises. It was a small squeal and a coo, it sounded like a...Rainbow quickly removed the lid on the basket to see if her theory was correct.

And it was!

It was a baby!

It was a baby blue Pegasus with a white mane and tail, and a clean diaper; it looked no more than a few months old. It opened it's eyes and Rainbow was immediately in love she carefully picked it up and began rocking it while it sucked its hoof. Though it was a beautiful moment for her, she then came to a realization and panicked, 'I don't know anything about babies!' she thought to herself.

Though she new some ponies who did!

She then got her baby blanket and had to do guesswork to swaddle the baby correctly, after 3 tries she gave up and left for the picnic flying slowly as to not upset the infant. She wanted to be the one to care for her, but, she would need her friends assistance. She hated asking for help, but there was a young life at stake right now, she couldn't and wouldn't send it to an orphanage. It would break her heart to part with the infant now that this foal had touched her heart. But a question came to mind...Why? Of all the ponies in Equestria...Why her? She thought about it for a moment but brushed it aside. The infant was all that mattered now to her. She saw the picnic in the distance and her friends looking around confusedly for her. The baby pretty much slept the whole way there, Rainbow looked down at the foal sleeping peacefully and her heart melted like butter.


	2. Chapter 2

Rainbow landed to see the others looking at her, "Rainbow, where have you been?" asked Twilight.

Rainbow smiled, "Oh, I got a little..."

She revealed the infant, "Distracted."

The others gasped and the baby opened its eyes though something was off about the way it was looking around trying to find where the voices were coming from.

"Where...where did you..." Twilight stammered, caught off guard by the big reveal.

"A basket was left on my doorstep, I brought it in and I found out that inside was a baby!"

Fluttershy flew up to meet the infant, "It's soo cute! She even looks a little bit like you!"

"I know...I...I actually want to keep her. That's why I came to you guys, I need your help."

"Of course Rainbow, we'd be happy to help you and..." Twilight trailed off and realized that they didn't know what the gender was. With Rainbow's permission, she un swaddled the foal, opened its diaper and checked the gender.

"You have a brand new beautiful baby girl." Twilight confirmed.

Rainbow was beaming with pride, the others took turns holding her and when she began to get a little fussy, Rarity (who was holding her at the time) handed her back to Rainbow as Twilight made a bottle of warm milk appear. Rainbow looked a little nervous when the fussy baby was handed back to her...Pinkie then cautioned, "Stay calm, they can smell fear."

Rainbow then took the bottle and fed her, she hadn't eaten in hours so she sucked it down within a few seconds. Rainbow then went by instinct and burped her. The others gave out an 'awww.'

"So, watcha gonna name her?" Applejack asked.

Rainbow pondered for a moment, the foal's coloration reminded her of the sky...and she remembered her favorite kind of cloud to make..."Cumulus."

The others agreed, and before Rainbow started eating a peanut butter and zapapple jam sandwich...she needed to get Cumulus to a pediatrician, just to make sure she was healthy. She voiced her concern to the others and Pinkie offered to take her to the Cake's pediatrician...Dr. Binky. Rainbow agreed and the others decided to put their picnic on a rain check, even Fluttershy didn't hesitate, she knew that the health of the new baby came first.


	3. Chapter 3

The 6 waited patiently for Dr. Binky to call Rainbow's name, in the meantime, Rainbow was getting anxious as any new mother would be, she didn't know what the outcome of this appointment would be...but she hoped it would be a pleasant one. It was funny, this morning she didn't even think of a new baby and...now, miraculously, she had one...she was an instant mother to this foal.

"Rainbow Dash?" a brown colt with a golden mane and tail, green eyes, a pair of rectangular glasses, and a binky for a cutie mark called her name.

Rainbow got up and flew slowly to the door carrying tiny Cumulus to the door, Dr. Binky closed it behind her and led her to a room with pictures of young fillies and colts at infancy while the walls were painted baby pink on one wall and baby blue on the other.

"Now, what brings you here today?" he asked as Rainbow sat down in the nearest chair and told him what happened that morning.

"I see, may I see her?"

Rainbow was a little hesitant but handed her over to him, he then placed her on the examination bed. He took out his stethoscope and listened to her breathing, he confirmed that it was normal. He took her temperature, looked inside her ears, etc. all normal. That is, when he came to the sight test, he waved a light in front of her and he looked concerned...Rainbow's heart stopped beating.

"Rainbow Dash, can you wait in the waiting room with your friends for a moment?"

Rainbow nodded and obeyed, she was then pacing back and forth, waiting nervously for him to come out and say that she was healthy. But fate had other plans, for when the doctor came out with the baby...his face looked grim.

"Is she alright?" Twilight asked.

Dr. Binky handed Cumulus back to Rainbow and sighed, he then removed his glasses. 'This is not good.' Rainbow thought.

"Rainbow Dash, I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this...Cumulus...Cumulus is blind."

A gasp went through the group as the thought plucked at Rainbow's heartstrings, Cumulus would never see her, she would never see the world, she would live in a world of eternal darkness.

"But...but how..."

"There's nothing I can do, miracle only...I took a blood test and we're still examining it but...I think she was born this way."

Tears streamed down Rainbow's face as she looked at the infant anew.

"I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do to restore her sight. But with you as a mother...I'm sure she will prosper."

Rainbow had a ray of hope that he was right, all she could do is let Cumulus know how special she was while raising her and telling her that she doesn't need her sight in life.


	4. Chapter 4

For somepony like Rainbow Dash, being a single mom was no trot in the park. There was the crying thoughout the night first off, Rainbow would groggily fly to Cumulus' nursery that Rainbow and Fluttershy built with furniture and necessities that a baby would need from the baby shower that Pinkie set up. Rainbow would sit with her in the rocking chair; rocking her until Cumulus went back to  
sleep again. Rainbow, however, had not gotten any sleep since she brought the baby in. But she was determined (as always), she knew this was just part of being a parent and she was going to take it head on. Though, more often than not, when Cumulus cried Rainbow found that occasionally there was nothing wrong. Rainbow concluded that Cumulus probably wanted to make sure her mother was still there. Rainbow loved Little Cue (as she sometimes called her) from the moment she set eyes on her but when her Little Cue started flying...that's when Rainbow really went nuts. She was afraid that Cumulus, with her being blind, would fly into something and hurt herself. So when Cumulus felt bold some days and began zooming all over the house, Rainbow had to fly in front of her to catch her.

"Whoa there Little Cue, take it easy!" Rainbow would say once she caught her. Rainbow knew that her Little Cue would have the Pegasus' urge to fly someday, and would be particularly inspired by her mother's flying stories. The three Sonic Rainbooms she did, how she saved her friends at the Wonderbolts Academy, the list goes on...Rainbow could only hope that she would see why she can't do the things her mother can. She hated to be the one to rip apart her dreams like this at this age, but it was her job to keep her Little Cue safe and that's what she was going to do.

Not only was she cautious about Cumulus flying, but she was cautious about everything! When something small happened, she made a mountain out of a molehill, like if Cumulus coughed once - Rainbow thought she had whooping cough. If Cumulus got a small cut - Rainbow thought she needed stitches. The others begged her to tone it down a bit with Cumulus...she tried, but she found it to be really hard.

She knew she wasn't exactly mother of the year, and she admitted it. She was over protective, at first she didn't know how to change a diaper, it still took 5 minutes to swaddle her, she didn't know how to get the milk to room temperature, she has blown up at Cumulus because of the stress that she was under and she did her fair share of accidentally eating her mashed peas due to being so tired.

But she must have been doing a darn good job, because Cumulus was beginning to recognize Rainbow's voice. Apparently, being blind has it's advantages - better hearing. It was actually when the 6 were at Sugar Cube Corner and it was 2 months after Cumulus appeared on Rainbow's doorstep when they took notice to this.

They were eating while Cumulus was under the table sucking her hoof when she felt something fluffy against her back, she turned around and felt that is was as soft as her teddy bear, she actually thought it was her bear and hugged it. Pinkie Pie's eyes widened in surprise, she then pulled her tail up to reveal Cumulus clinging to it.

Pinkie giggled, "And what are you doing?"

Cumulus only spoke in baby mumble (Rainbow noticed that she was showing signs of talking soon) as she chewed and drooled on Pinkie's Tail as they all laughed.

"Come here," Fluttershy said gently as she removed the infant from Pinkie's tail. She then cradled Cumulus in her arms and rocked back and forth. They then continued with their conversation.

Rarity was talking about their dresses for the gala this year, "I've got the designs done for your dresses!" she said excitedly. "I just need a pallette. Rainbow, your's should be easy - Fluttershy, I'm thinking...maybe teal - like your eyes, Applejack - apple red for you, Twilight - lavender, Pinkie's shouldn't be too difficult and mine will be a surprise!" They all looked excitied, the gala was in another 5 months from now; they all were ecstatic - all except for Rainbow Dash.

"Rainbow?" Fluttershy asked in concern.

Rainbow snapped to attention.

"Are you alright?" asked Twilight.

Rainbow shrugged and looked at Cumulus. Fluttershy took the cue, "You'd miss her."

"Yeah separation anxiety," said Rainbow. Then Cumulus was fussy and reaching towards Rainbow, who was stunned! As were the others!

Rainbow reached out towards Fluttershy as she willingly handed Cumulus to Rainbow. Rainbow held the baby closer to her; she was also trying to piece together what just happened while Cumulus looked completely contempt now. So contempt, that she yawned and fell asleep.

"She knows your voice," Twilight confirmed, clearly touched.

Rainbow looked up at her surprised.

"Since she can't see, she locates you by sound," said Rarity.

Rainbow looked down at the filly smiling.

Cumulus was, without a doubt, a very intelligent filly. She was now, by Dr. Binky's guesstimate, around 7 months old and it was at this age that she said her first word. This happened when Pinkie decided to celebrate Cumulus' 7 month birthday with the picnic that had to be postponed due to her arrival. But, as the others were eating, Cumulus was entertaining herself with her new toys, a set of cloth building blocks with different feeling fabric on each side of them from Rarity, a ball in the shape of an apple from Applejack, a butterfly binky from Fluttershy, a touch and feel book from Twilight, a hat in the shape of a birthday cake from Pinkie and a hand me down pillow from Rainbow's crib when she was a baby. She was especially entertained by the blocks, mainly because she loved to feel different textures, her favorite being clouds - since that's what her house was made of. She had a corner of the block she was holding in her mouth when her mother approached, "Blocks aren't food Cue."

As she picked Cumulus up, she dropped the block and she was carried to the pony food.

"Twilight can you hand me the applesauce?" Rainbow asked.

Twilight levitated it to her and opened the jar. Rainbow then pulled out a baby spoon from the baby bag, that she carried with her when out and about, scooped out some applesauce and fed it to Cumulus. After the jar was empty, Cumulus was laying on her back between her mother's forehooves while her mother and her Aunts were discussing other matters...that was when Cumulus said it: "M-m-ma!"

Rainbow looked down at her, not sure if she heard her right. But she could have sworn she heard Cumulus call her..."Ma!"

She said it again! She called her 'Ma!' Rainbow's heart thudded as the 5 Aunts gasped and Rainbow's Little Cue said it again and reached upwards. Even when Cumulus couldn't see what her mother looked like - she still recognized her by the feel of her coat, the sound of her voice, and the sound of her wingbeats. She knew every sound her mother made. The bond this mother and daughter had was a strong one.


End file.
